Prologue

Coronavirus – A Dog’s Tale

Well this year hasn’t exactly gone to plan. We were due to sail to the Somme in May before starting a long, slow trek north to Berlin, where Annapanna was going to spend the winter. Covid 19 scuppered that though, so instead we have spent the last 4 months in lockdown along with the rest of the UK.

I wanted to mention lockdown from a dog’s eye view. There have been many, many articles in the papers about how people have been coping, what they’ve been doing and what new skills they’ve learnt. But to date I haven’t seen any on how us canines have got on. I aim to correct that in some small way, so here are my experiences.

March to July

It all started in March. The 21st to be precise. Not only would this have been Michael’s 93rd birthday but it was also Mother’s Day on the 22nd. Various things had been planned with Sheila to keep her busy on what was obviously a difficult weekend – All cancelled, including a visit from Fiona. No one was allowed to travel and Sheila, being over 70, was confined to barracks. Everyone else could go out once a day to exercise – and of course to the shops to buy essentials, as in food – I mean where would they be without their regular trips to the supermarket! Me? Well one bag of food lasted me all the way through lockdown and when we needed more it was delivered to the door. No need to travel anywhere. There has been lots of talk about people being overweight and adding even more pounds during lockdown and as obesity is a risk in Covid 19, Boris is launching a big “lose weight” campaign. Well, I could give him lots of advice as my diet hasn’t changed at all during lockdown – same boring dried stuff day in, day out – but I’m as lithe and agile as I was at the beginning and much fitter! Anyway, Boris, if you need canine advice on your select committee, just give me a call.

Another sad occasion in April was when we lost Amy, Mattie’s litter sister. Poor Mattie was so lost all on his own. I tried to cheer him up when I could and as we were all acting as Sheila’s “carers”, that was quite often. A big change for him was that he started to come on walks with us. Long walks and off the lead. He loved it, I think. He maybe my friend but when I’m walking I have too many other things to think about so I tend to ignore him! However, I think we can safely say that Mattie has had a good lockdown.

So, how was my lockdown? Perfect, just perfect, is the answer to that. For virtually a whole 4 months I was rarely left alone, went on long walks every day, spent hours playing in the garden whilst they were mowing the lawn, digging up weeds or lazing in the sun. And the sun shone, day after day – at least until July when the rain came back. Once they were allowed to I went for walks with new (and old) friends – hello, Crumpet, Ziggy, Billy and Mattie and explored lots of places a bit further afield. Actually, I’m happy walking anywhere except the Martholme Greenway, which I’ve taken a definite dislike to.

But things are slowly getting back to normal, or the “new” normal, as people keep saying. The pandemic is a long way from over and we all have to be careful, but they are back to doing lots of things they were doing before that day in March. And if I’m honest, that is not good news for me or, I suspect, many of my canine friends. Separation anxiety should not be sneezed at (well actually don’t sneeze anywhere). Boris, another piece of advice, check Dilyn is OK when you have a moment.

As part of easing restrictions and trying to get the economy back on track, Boris opened up travel corridors and luckily for them this included a corridor to the Netherlands and Annapanna. So here we are and so here starts the new blog. A shortened version of course and limited to the Netherlands, but that’s fine with me as I want no more sea adventures for the time being!

The Trip

20th – 21st September – Maasbracht to Whalley

Lots of boring packing, a drive to Europort, into the horrible kennel and back to Hull. Then on to Whalley and home. I’m never quite sure about being home, as much as I like it. Somehow it unsettles me so I like to stay in the car for a while …. just in case. Well, I’m not actually sure what it’s just in case of. I just feel the need to do it.

We now have two weeks quarantine, which is possibly good news for me but not so good for them. That Covid hasn’t gone anywhere and more restrictions are coming in. Life is definitely not back to normal yet.

So that’s the end of my blog for this year. A shorter version than usual. but at least we got away for a while. Hope you enjoyed it. Until next year my friends. Keep well and keep your distance.

18th – 20th September – Maasbracht

Our last three days in the Netherlands before we return to England and two weeks quarantine. I was very happy as the awful algae that was here in July had disappeared meaning I could swim off the bank at the scout camp. As it was still hot and sunny that was pretty essential. It also relieved the boredom of all that hanging around whilst they did all their chores.

Another bit of good news was the arrival of Edward and Sheila, although very sadly without Teddy. Teddy had been my friend on my first trip on Annapanna 2 years ago. He had been very patient with me, putting up with my boisterous puppy ways and even playing on the beaches of the Rhine as we headed north back into the Netherlands. I miss him. It was so nice to see Edward and Sheila though and they even invited me to dinner on their boat. They must have thought I’d grown up enough to behave myself, although after I’d pinched two empty water bottles and tried to destroy one of Teddy’s old toys, I’m not sure they still do!

17th September 2020 – Neer to Maasbracht

As much as I enjoyed my walk round the lake yesterday, I wanted to ensure that long walks before breakfast don’t become a habit. So this morning, once I’d done the necessary, I made it very clear that it was now time to get back to the boat. After breakfast is a different matter as I’m then refueled and ready to go – and in Neer that means down to the water with my ball. After that I’m happy with anything and today that was a trip on the ferry over the Maas for a walk to Rijkel and through the woods, I think they were called Donderberg. Following the footpath app of course.

Then we were off on the final leg of our journey, back to Maasbracht and Van der Laan. We are here for a few days as there is all that cleaning to do and the small matter of a visit to the vets for me

16th September 2020 – Leukermeer to Neer

They have been to Leukermeer lots of times, even I’ve been at least twice, but they have never stayed more than one night as usually it is a stopping point on the way to or from Maasbracht or Maurik. Because of that, they have never walked round the lake, Alison can’t even remember running round, which is very unusual. Today we put that right. The weather is still hot, so a walk without water needed to be in the early morning and that’s what we did. Before my breakfast, would you believe, off we set on our journey around the lake (leaving Brian in bed). The idea was that it would be a walk and jog trip, which actually makes little difference to me as Alison’s jog speed just requires me to trot a little bit faster. I never need to move up into a canter.

The walk was beautiful, much of it through woods with glimpses of the lake at various points along the way. At the bottom there was an enormous lock, which was quite a surprise. It isn’t in use though and seems to be some sort of museum. There are a couple of restaurants there too, which if we had arrived at a more civilized time, would have been open for coffee and water. As it was, even the dog station hadn’t been replenished.

The lock lies between Leukermeer and Reindersmeer, a man made lake in the man made nature reserve of De Maasduinen. De Maasduinen is 4500 hectares of varied terrain and an important park both in the Netherlands and Europe. There are woods, heaths planted with heathers and – an occurring feature – drifting sands. We only walked a tiny bit of it, to the edge of the lake, over the bridge and back along the other side, so it is something for another day.

After the walk and a very late breakfast we headed off further up the Maas to Neer and the lovely harbour of WSV Hanssum. We came here in 2018 on our way back from Germany and I remember 3 things about it; We went for a lovely walk to a water mill; Mags thought I had been kidnapped when my identical twin walked past the boat whilst I was away and I couldn’t swim in the Maas because of the algae. This time there is no Mags to panic about kidnapping, no lovely walk to the watermill, as the path is closed as part of the ongoing flood defense work and no algae, so forget about the rest as the only thing that mattered was that I could swim in the Maas.

15th September – Linden to Leukermeer

Up the Maas and onto another beautiful lake location, Leukermeer, or ‘T Leuken, or Well (if you need to find it in Wateralmanak no. 2). The problem with Jachthaven Leukermeer is that there is a very inviting beach right at the end of the jetty, but no dogs are allowed. In fact, we were told that no dogs were allowed in the water anywhere on Leukermeer. Why? They have enormous speed boats coughing out nasty pollutents, lots of ducks and geese (and possibly people) depositing much more, so why no dogs? I can understand it on the beaches but not in remote areas around the lake. Perhaps someone could explain? Particularly in such a dog friendly nation.

Anyway, its still beautiful and just over the bridge in an area that isn’t called Leukermeer (but might be called Voorhaven) a new permissive path took us down to the water and a swimming place. Perfect. We then walked onto Jachthaven ‘t Leuken to visit Andre and Harriet who were there leading a trip with a flotilla of Linssens. Bit like ours last year, but this one was inland and in the Netherlands. One I would much prefer! Andre made a big fuss of me, so he is now my friend. Hope to see you again soon, Andre.

14th September 2020 – Cuijk (Linden)

I really have to correct my blog here because actually we are in Linden rather than Cuijk. It is only a tiny village but I suspect they won’t be happy about being lumped in with the big town. Anyway, we are staying here for another night just to chill and enjoy the sunshine. So that means swim, play and more swim for me. At least that was until Little Dick came down. If you remember I said that I quite liked going out in Little Dick now and was quite happy jumping in and out – but I must have forgotten because I tried to run away when it became clear we were going for a ride. Of course I was manhandled in and off we went – and then I remembered it was actually OK. Even more so when we pulled up at the shore so I could jump out and play.

We were heading for a tea garden Mags and Alison cycled to last year but there was so much weed around we couldn’t get near the shore. So we abandoned that idea, carried on round the lake, stopped for a play and then went back to Romein for lunch.

Then we were off again. Shopping by boat and this time I happily jumped in. There were lots of dinghies charging around in the water but even their wash didn’t bother me. We also saw the weirdest sight, something that looked like a horse box Or caravan on the water. Have a look. what do you think?

13th September 2020 – Zaltbommel to Cuijk

After another walk along the shore and a play on the beach we were off. But I’m not sure I’m as keen on the Waal after today. It was Sunday, a day that, in theory, should have less commercial traffic, but you could have fooled me. To make matters worse, the lock at Sint Andries was broken, so we had to go all the way to Nijmegen before we could turn off onto the Maas. Having said that, the wash from the big barges is nothing like that from the stink boats, or plastic tubs, as Brian calls them. One came past us too fast and too close causing us to rock so much we lost another storage jar and the sugar bowl lid.

Then we arrived at Jachthaven ‘t Loo and it was all forgotten. This place really is lovely, especially when the sun shines. It had been a long day – or at least longer than planned, so we all walked the few yards to Bistro Romein for dinner. Yes, me too. I think they felt I deserved it.

12th September 2020 – Vianan to Zaltbommel

What did I say about being back in familiar territory? Well we are and we aren’t. Brian decided we would go east on the Waal from Gorinchem rather than south east on the Afgedamde Mass to Heusden. The Waal is a big, busy river and one we usually avoid, but in his quest to find new places he decided we would head towards Zaltbommel. Am I glad he did! The river was busy but no worse than the Amsterdam Rhjnkanaal, but any discomfort was worth it a million times! If I was still scoring dog friendly places this would get 5*. It is quite simply the best place ever for me, better than Culemborg, better than Hattem, Perhaps even better than Cuijk (which happens to be our next destination). Why, you may well ask? So here are all the things it has got going for it:

A lovely harbour master who happens to have a 3 year black lab called Deutz. Because of this he has put carpet all they way up the side of the gangway, just for our delicate paws.

A central mooring , even though it is in a deep well, a little bit like Düsseldorf and Cologne.

Less than 5 minutes to a brilliant sandy beach where dogs are allowed to play to their hearts content. I went with Deutz and we had a great time.

A lovely woodland walk along the ramparts which virtually circles the entire town.

Another long walk along the shore of the Waal, with lots of beaches along the way and then back along a raised dyke with great views of the town, bridge and river.

It’s all just perfect and the town is quite pretty too, with some very old interesting buildings. There is also a good restaurant just near the harbour (recommended by the harbourmaster).

So all of you canines who love water, walks and lots of play. Go there. The trip on the Waal is worth it.

11th September 2020 – Weesp to Vianan

Well I did get another play and what’s more it was in the bigger play area they had been trying to find yesterday! Alison went for a run this morning and came across it, so after breakfast off we went. It made up for the hours I had to endure on the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal later.

Tonight we are in Vianan, another favourite and often very busy. In fact last time we thought about mooring here it was completely full. We later found out that was because the mooring payment system was broken so everyone was staying for the free mooring. Not any more. The Annuit system has been installed here as well.

They went out and left me again, this time to a Greek restaurant. They had been looking for a decent one for a while and as this was near the boat and looked fine they decided to give it a go. Umm, I don’t think they’ll go again, but at least they now have it out of their system. Nice mezze, cold Moussaka and an enormous mixed grill. They said it was too much. I don’t understand? How can anything be too much?

10th September 2020 – Harderwijk to Weesp

From now on it’s back to familiar territory as we head south towards Maasbracht and the end of the cruise. Today has been beautiful and mill pond calm, which is perfect for me as the continuation of the Veluwemeer into the eemmeer and Gooimeer is quite a wide waterway in places.

We left very early (for us) as we needed to get to the railway bridge at Weesp for the only half hour it opened in the afternoon. Fortunately the journey was straightforward with minimal delays at the locks or bridges, which was just as well as the opening times had changed and were half an hour earlier than PCNavigo said! Just got through in time. We seem to be making a habit if this!

We moored up in the town harbour in Weesp, taking the last, very tight space next to Fiddlers Green (remember them from the BIG trip last year). There is lots of action here, so plenty to keep me occupied.. but…it is the other end of town from my playing area. I did manage to get there today, but the chance of going again tomorrow before we leave is pretty slim.

9th September 2020 – Harderwijk

We are here for a third night even though the thrusters are sorted. This is so they could join all the children at the Dolphinarium. How embarrassing. I could have gone as their child if dogs were allowed, but of course they weren’t. I believe they enjoyed it and watched the dolphins, sea lions and walruses do their tricks. I’m glad to hear they seem to be looked after well, even if I’m not sure I agree about them being in captivity.

8th September 2020 – Harderwijk

After a few long conversations with Boris (the engineer, not the PM) and various tests on the thrusters, the conclusion was that Annapanna needed new batteries. As Brian didn’t want to continue without at least some thruster support it was left with Boris to see what he could do. And he came up with the goods. He sourced the batteries in Amsterdam, picked them up and was with us in the early afternoon. Hero Boris (the engineer, not the PM). A few hours later it was all sorted.

Before Boris arrived we managed to do some of necessary sight seeing around the old town and then whilst he was here Alison and I kept out of the way by walking around the walls looking for the other Poorts. Gate hunting is becoming a habit. First Kampen and now here. The town of course is lovely. Lots of attractive old houses, pretty streets, shady squares and interesting shops. There are lots of patisseries and bakeries, which suits Alison and I just fine.

Tonight I was left alone – again – whilst they went out for their fancy meal. Nonnetje has two Michelin stars and would most definitely not welcome dogs, especially noisy ones like me. I believe it was very, very good but I’m afraid I only have their word for that as I didn’t so much as get a snifter of a doggy bag.

7th September 2020 – Kampen to Harderwijk

We were planning to travel to Harderwijk via a new waterway, the Rivediep, in the Issjel delta. Information on PCNavigo said the bridges were 4 metres high allowing us to just squeeze under without taking all the canvas down. The harbour master in Kampen thought otherwise, so a quick call to the lock keeper confirmed it was too tight, and as we didn’t want to take all the covers off, plans were changed. One for another day when the weather is better and there more people to help.

Before I carry on though I have to educate you, and them, a bit, about the Rivediep. Part of the Room for the River project the new waterway provides additional flood protection in an era of higher water levels caused by climate change. Kampen was particularly vulnerable as the Issjel river narrowed, forming a bottleneck around the old town. The whole project not only improves the water management in the area but provides a natural environment that will encourage some threatened species, such as the Bittern. Perfect, don’t you think. Of course, as with anything in the Netherlands providing interesting cycle paths is an important part of the agenda and the ones on the Rivediep seemed to be designed to give either low lying or high level viewing, depending on which one you’re on. Clever stuff that I might even see one day in my DoggyRide.

Back to the trip. So instead of the new river, we continued down the Ijssel into Ketelmeer then hung a left through the Roggebotsluis and into Veluwemeer. Then just past the point where the Rivediep flows into Veluwemeer we were surprised by a new lock. Obviously part of the development, but completely missed by the – supposedly continuously updated – PCNavigo!

We arrived in Stadshaven, Harderwijk in the afternoon and limped into our mooring without any bow or stern thrusters as they had given up the ghost the day before. It looks like we might have to stay here for a few days whilst the thrusters are being sorted out and I don’t think this is a hardship to anyone.

It looks like a fortune has been spent on doing up what they call the Boulevard, which runs along both Stad and Strand havens. Lined with restaurants that run along the walls of the old town, it is a very attractive place. I don’t think we would want to be here in prime holiday time, but right now it is perfect. There is a down side of course. The wonderful looking beach at the end of Strandhaven is out of bounds for dogs, all year round. Alison even got into trouble for just taking me along the spit that runs parallel with the beach. The nice policeman told us where I could go and explained that the usual dog playing area a bit further on was closed for development. Perhaps next time it will be ready, but in the meantime I was quite happy on my strip of grass on the dolphinarium side of the haven.

6th September 2020 – Zwolle to Kampen

Only a short trip today. Back through the bridges of Zwarte water, onto the Zwolle-Ijsselkanaal and then into the river Ijssel to Kampen. Imagine my delight when I saw the mooring. Long, wide sturdy pontoons with easy access on and off, all in the lovely little Buitenhaven.

We arrived early and it was probably just as well as soon afterwards it filled up with other boats. But we got a perfect place and everyone was happy. We had plenty of time to explore the town which meant Alison had plenty of time to take us on a walking tour. The joy! Actually, I’m not complaining though as it included a long walk through the park and a play in the specially designated dog playing area. I was getting withdrawal symptoms for lack of ball play, so today I got a quick fix.

Kampen is well known as an important Hanseatic league town with lots of preserved buildings and three beautiful city gates. Our walking tour took us to each of these gates as well as the old town hall and the Nieuwe Toren, or new tower. The Nieuwe Toren is famous for having a cow suspended from it. Why? you may ask. Apparently it is a joke, by the Kampees on themselves. The story goes that many years ago the townsfolk were worried about grass growing at the top of the tower and some bright spark had the idea of hoisting a cow up to eat the grass… Of course the cow never survived the journey and the story has been repeated through the generations to demonstrate just how simple the locals are. So the locals have turned it into a tourist advantage and have ensured cows are forever associated with the town – particularly the one still hanging from the Toren.

5th September 2020 – Steenwijk to Zwolle

This may be a day I prefer to forget, although I suspect it will stay in my memory for quite some time.

It started out well. I went for a good walk in the park, said a quick good morning to my friends the deer and met quite a few other canines. The journey to Zwolle was uneventful. We even had a one hour break for the bridges in Giethoorn, which proved handy as it meant we could go off for a walk, check out the little boat tours and have a coffee in the sunshine. We also met the lady below along with her pony, dog and white dove (on her shoulder). She has been on the road for 3 months camping each night with the Alsatian as her guard. He is very protective of her so I wasn’t advised to say hello.

Then it started to go wrong when we arrived in Zwolle and it was all completely unnecessary. Annapanna is 14 metres long and there is an area along the Singel in the centre of town which is designated for boats over 12 metres. This is because the fingers on the main moorings are very short and would be difficult for a boat the size of Annapanna. OK, so far so sensible. There was a whole pontoon free so we moored up….. but the only way out was via a vertical ladder – a long one. Now a short one wouldn’t have been an issue, I could have used my ramp and popped up to shore. But a long one was a different matter. It wasn’t so much the getting out – a lift and a shove did the trick – but getting back down was frankly terrifying! Even putting my paws on Brian’s shoulders, as I used to do to get downstairs on Annapanna (before Jane trained me), was frightening. I did it twice, but then dug my heels in and refused point blank to go up again knowing that it meant I would have to get back down again.

So what happened? We moved of course. Under the flowery bridge and onto the wall opposite the fingers. Perfect height, perfect mooring – for me anyway. The embarrassment was that it was signposted for disabled boaters. I take offense at that as I am in no way disabled, but those ladders are too much for any larger canine. Sheila wouldn’t have been able to manage them either, although she probably wouldn’t have been quite as upset about the disabled designation.

I need to mention the town though, don’t I. It was buzzing, probably too busy, especially around the town square market where they did a bit of shopping whilst I hunted for scraps. There are plenty of beautiful buildings, restaurants and cafes everywhere and apparently home to the only 3 star Michelin in the Netherlands. Yes, I would go back, but never, ever to that first mooring.

4th September 2020 – Nijetrijne to Steenwijk

After the rain of yesterday, today started bright and beautiful (as the hymn goes). So we went for a walk to explore the area and understand why PCNavigo wanted to take us down an unnavigable section rather than directly through the lock on the main waterway. Brian was no nearer getting a solution, but we had a lovely walk, checked out the immaculate old lock (kept in working order in case the main one breaks down) and explored the little haven where we could and maybe should, have moored instead.

Then we were off, to Giethoorn, one of Mag’s favourite places. Except she isn’t with us and they have been before (and I don’t count), so there was another change of plan and we headed for Steenwijk instead. There was lots of mooring on the town quay and even though we could only progress as far as the bridge, it is still pretty central. Much better for me though is the Rams Woerthe park right opposite. Sadly I couldn’t go off lead, but there is plenty of woodland, a lake running all the way through it and even wildlife in the form of White Spotted deer.

3rd September 2020 – Bolsward to Nijetrijne

After a beautiful day yesterday we woke up to pouring rain and it pretty much stayed that way all day. They didn’t really have a plan for where we were going to stop, just that we were heading in the direction of Zwolle. This direction took us south to Workum then across to Heegermeer, Slotermeer and Tjeukemeer. You get the picture – it’s chucking it down and blowing a gale…. I wasn’t a happy dog. Apart from a short break to stretch my legs around lovely Sloten, it was full on all day.

At this point, I need to clarify why I have included a photo of a fountain in Sloten. Sometimes it is my job to educate so I need to tell you about the 11 fountains. In 2018 within the scope of Leeuwarden-Fryslan Cultural Capital of Europe, 11 fountains were commissioned by leading international artists, one for each of the 11 cities. Of course we haven’t seen them all, not by a long way, but the Bat fountain in Bolsward is one, the Peewit in Sloten (below) another and The Ice Fountain in Dokkum a 3rd. Then there’s the Whale in Harlingen, Love in Leeuwarden, Fortuna’s Fountain in Sneek. I could go on, but I won’t bore you any more. Look them up and make a point of seeing them if you happen to be in any of the 11 cities.

We did eventually leave the meers behind (at least for the day) and trundled along the Jonkers of Helomavaart ( do you think it’s named after superhero Alexander), to the lock at Nijetrijne. They then thought it might nice to go to Oldemarkt, but as the water got very shallow before we even got through the self lifting bridge, they changed their mind. Talking to the harbour master the next day confirmed it was the right decision.

So we spent the night hunkered down in a rural mooring not far from the lock. Very pretty with lots of potential walks which I planned to explore the next morning.

2nd September 2020 – Bolsward

A third night here so Alison could do the cycle trip that was thwarted by the exploding tyres. As it was a beautiful day it couldn’t have been more perfect for a circular trip to Makkum, along the IJsselmeer Coast and up to the Waddenzee. I stayed with Brian as we haven’t got the Doggy Ride here yet….. next year, maybe.

1st September 2020 – Bolsward

We like this place but for different reasons of course. For me it is a perfect mooring. We are alongside a lovely lawned area, there is a big field less than a minute away where I can run and chase my ball and the, to make it absolutely perfect, there is a slipway just by the field. What more could an active dog want?

They like the mooring too and the town with it bustling Main Street, pretty houses and good shops. There is a spectacular town hall too – or at least we think it is as it’s hard to see under all the scaffolding. There are three churches and one has a glass roof and a bat fountain outside. It isn’t used as a church anymore so even I was allowed in.

Yet again I was left home alone whilst they went out for dinner. They are definitely making up for months of lockdown and closed restaurants in the UK. This time though they were disappointed with the meal, so sorry Brasserie E&D, we can’t make a recommendation.

31st August 2020 – Pikmeer to Bolsward

It was a long day today and we didn’t arrive in Bolsward until about 7pm. That’s a full two hours after my dinner time. Not impressed. The problem was a broken railway bridge where we waited and waited and waited whilst they tried to mend it. In the end we had to give up as I needed a comfort break (as they say). So we turned round and took a different route, which meant a late finish. But the sun was shining and our final destination perfect, so you won’t hear any more complaints from me.

30th August 2020 – Harlingen to Pikmeer

After three nights in Harlingen we are off on our travels again. The plan was to go to Grouw, but when we got there all the town moorings were full, so rather than ask to moor off we headed into Pikmeer for a night on a Marrakrete. It has rained all day and is blowing a gale, but the the mooring is right next to a field, so I am perfectly happy.

29th August – Terschelling

Well it started OK. The sun was out as we got on the ferry at Harlingen, but by the time we arrived in Terschelling it was bucketing it down. What do you do on a holiday island in the pouring rain? Well, Alison had plans and the rain wasn’t going to change them. Half an hour later we were kitted out with two electric bikes and a dutch doggy ride, just like the one sitting in the garage at home. It was bought for Mr Benson, my predecessor, but never used. They were going to sell it, but never quite got round to it and now they wonder if I might like it. So, this was a test. What would I think? So here is my review of the doggy ride:

The one we rented had clearly seen better days and the lack of fastening at the back meant my tail was sticking out most of time and occasionally even dragging on the ground! It didn’t bother me though and you’ll be glad to know my tail didn’t come to any harm. Other than that, it was quite comfortable when I stood up – which was my preferred position – even though they kept telling me to sit down…. all the time! This was because when I stood up I pushed against the front, which in turn pushed against my windpipe, so I kept making choking sounds! It really wasn’t a problem though, even if it sounded alarming. In my own DoggyRide I’ll have a non slip, comfy base or maybe a bit of padding round the opening So I won’t choke. There was enough room for me to turn round (once I was released from the straps) so getting in and out wasn’t a problem. And I did get in and out, quite happily, lots of times. Which brings me to the major advantage of the contraption. It takes me places I couldn’t otherwise get to – like the beach, in fact two beaches, where I could run and play and in better weather, swim in the sea.

Alison towed me on her rented electric bike and made the comment that she wasn’t sure she’d like to tow without that assistance. I’m 25 kilos and the doggy ride probably another 10-12, so that’s nearly 40 kilos to tow. She’s pushing for Brian to get a new electric bike, so I think I need to push too if I want to go anywhere.

In summary, the experiment was a great success, so I think our DoggyRide might be off the market and will be travelling back with us and the kitchen sink next year (Covid allowing).

Before I finish today’s entry I need to tell you about the ferry. It was brand new in June and very smart and comfortable. Even better, there were no kennels and I could stay with them. And best of all, it was very smooth. Not like going to sea in Annapanna. It gets 10/10 in my book, even though everyone looked like aliens in their masks and I couldn’t tell what they were saying.

28th August – Harlingen

After much discussion and review of the yachting weather over the next few days, a decision was made to visit the holiday island of Terschelling by ferry, rather than by Annapanna. How pleased was I! So we booked an 8am crossing on the brand new ferry and woke up to lashing rain and an awful forecast… Plans are made for changing and that’s what happened. The ferry was rebooked for tomorrow and we all went back to bed and listened to the rain…

Then, of course, the weather improved and by mid morning the sun was out. So instead of cycling round Terschelling we spent a few hours wandering round the lovely town of Harlingen – but only after a play in the English park. Then Alison planned to cycle to Makkum along the Waddenzee, but exploding tyres on her bike put paid to that idea. Fortunately she found a bike shop that could change them for her, but not in time to go anywhere afterwards.

In the evening I was left home alone, again, whilst they went out for dinner… again. I have to mention the restaurant, as it was very good, I’m told. Just off Noorderhaven is the Visrestaurant De Tjotter. Go there if you like fish.

27th August – Leeuwarden to Harlingen

No wind today and we were off to the coast, the Waddenzee actually which is part of the North Sea. Umm, the North Sea brings back memories of last summer and “The Trip”. I just hope we aren’t going to sea…. But whatever happens tomorrow, tonight we are in Harlingen, in another parkside mooring just outside the centre of town. There are lots and lots of sailing yachts here (they’re the boats with sticks and a sheet) and most of them are moored in Noorderhaven, a very pretty harbour right in the centre of town (straight off the Waddenzee).

26th August – Leeuwarden

The wind and rain started in the early hours of the morning and more or less continued all day. We did have breaks in rain though, so set out for a walk and a bit of sightseeing. We went to an old prison which is now a library, shops and restaurants, but some of the old cells are still there and apparently you can even stay in a couple of them. Now tell me, why would anyone choose to stay in a cell?

Alison then went off to the Friesland museum – only she didn’t as Covid means all these things have to be booked ahead and it was fully booked up. Shame. Then in the evening they went out for dinner. Without me as it is no longer outside dining weather. They went to a restaurant called Eindeloos which was very good… so they tell me.

25th August – Dokkum to Leeuwarden

They have been here before, but back in 2011, which is the dark ages as far as I’m concerned. Apparently the mooring is just the same, alongside a couple of small parks and very near the town centre. All very pretty and good for me as one of the parks has a lead free area. That’s all I need (other than water when it’s hot).

We are staying here for a couple of nights as tomorrow is forecast wet and very windy. It seems as if all the other boaters in the Netherlands have the same idea as the place is very busy and even though we arrived early we only just managed to get a mooring on the town (and park) side of the canal.

We wandered into town a bit later for a trip down memory lane – and of course a bit of shopping. I was mortally embarrassed by having to put my feet into some wooden clogs… for a joke, they said. Not funny, I said.

24th August 2020 – Dokkum

They like this place so much we are staying another night. I really don’t mind at all even though guard duty is exhausting here as there is a constant stream of both human and canine traffic. I think most of them are doing the circular walk around the town – one that we did during the day too. I also managed a walk and play on the other side of the moat, or Baantjegracht, as this part of the water surrounding the town is called.

I wasn’t invited to the museum or to taste the local beer – called appropriately St Boniface – but as it was combined with yet another supermarket trip I was happy to be left alone.

I mentioned yesterday about the two ice cream shops and need to give you a recommendation now. Right in the centre of town is ZUCO, full name Zuivel Cooperatie. Not only does it sell wonderful and unusual ice cream but other dairy goods too. The yoghurt is excellent and the pannacotta one of the best ever – and that’s from Alison who’s a pannacotta connoisseur.

23rd August 2020 Zoutkamp to Dokkum

On my early morning walk today I met another Labrador like me and as we were both going to the lake, we went together. So I had a play mate on my walk and one who liked water as much as me! Sadly, there was no ball to play with, but never mind, we had a good run and splash around.

Then it was time to go… very sad, but a place to remember. As a complete opposite to Zoutkamp, Dokkum has so much mooring and it’s all just over the bulwark from the centre of town. No beach, no swimming, but plenty of grass and lots of action as the footpath along the old city walls is prime dog walking country.

Dokkum is an old fortified town dating back to 248AD. It’s infamous as the place where Bishop Boniface was murdered and as a result has become a place of pilgrimage for many Christians. It is also very pretty, stuffed full of restaurants and not one, but two, brilliant ice cream shops. Shame the weather has now changed.

22nd August 2020 – Groningen to Zoutkamp

We left the city and headed for the country. Now it’s my turn. Travelling in convoy through the pretty streets and many bridges of northern Groningen, we then continued north west along the Reitdiep to our destination of Zoutkamp. New territory for all of us, which is amazing considering the number of years they have been coming here. On the way we passed what could be a perfect mooring at Gernwerd – I’m mentioning it here as we don’t want to forget it if we come this way again.

We arrived at Zoutkamp in the early afternoon, which was just as well as we took one of the last places in the town quay. The quay is so pretty it would have been a shame to have had to move onto the yacht haven just out of the village. There are so many restaurants here, including one specialising in ice cream and another in fish (actually a fish shop, restaurant and takeaway all in one).

There was lots of activity on the quay, which kept me happy …. but… a quick inspection of Alison’s brilliant footpath app showed a lake, a beach and a footpath all the way round it. Doggy heaven just over the dyke. This more than made up for yesterday’s sightseeing.

21st August 2020 – Groningen

A sightseeing day today. My favourite! I even had a bit of a crisis which should have seen me going straight back to the boat… but no such luck. I’m not sure what actually happened – all I remember was the sudden pain. Oh the pain… I couldn’t put my foot down and didn’t even want to meet the nice man who was talking to them about me. Eventually it eased off a bit so I managed to limp away, then it went off completely. Was I stung? No idea, as they couldn’t find anything.

We carried on sightseeing and wandered round the market in the Vismarkt (always good for picking up scraps) before lunch (even better for picking up scraps). The city was much quieter today so I had none of the concerns of the evening before.

Dinner was at the Harbour Cafe, so a couple of steps of the boat. In fact they would have served us on the boat if we’d wanted. I would have very much wanted, but they didn’t.

20th August 2020 – Assen to Groningen

We left Assen at our booked time of 9am to try to ensure we got to Groningen before the bridges shut at 3.30pm. Again it was a bit of a close call, although not quite as close as Assen. With about 20 minutes to spare we moored up against the wall in Oosterhaven, right next to a very popular restaurant. Perfect for people watching, although guard duty was fairly exhausting.

After dinner on board we walked into town for coffee and a look around. But it was busy, far too busy in these days of increasing numbers of coronavirus, so decided to head back for coffee at our local restaurant instead. Groningen is a university city and definitely buzzing, something we all normally like. But this isn’t normal, however much we want it to be.

19th August 2020 – Assen

Another night here and aren’t I glad. Literally 5-10 minutes walk from the mooring is Asserbos, a national forest and one of the oldest city parks in the Netherlands. We spent the morning wandering through the forest – well they wandered whilst I ran – as a sign at the entrance said it was an off lead area… perfect. Afterwards we walked back into town for lunch at the beach, although sadly this beach doesn’t lead to a swim…. Ah well, at least it’s a bit cooler now so swimming isn’t quite so necessary.

Then it was time for Alison to go off on her bike… yet again. This time it was to go to the Assen TT track about 7K south of the city. I believe it is a famous TT track, nicknamed the Cathedral – but more importantly it was the site of a race win for Ian in his motorbike racing days. This must have been a long, long time ago as I’ve never seen him in leathers and he must be quite old now, or at least a lot older than me. The racetrack is closed to spectators due to Covid, so she wasn’t allowed in, but did manage to get some photos so Ian can reminisce…….

Finally, they told me I had to tell you about the old town. At the end of Vaart, behind the beach restaurant, is Markt, a buzzing square full of more restaurants and lovely old houses. Markt street leads towards the Brink, the grassy square all the Drenthe towns and villages seem to have, which has more lovely houses and the Drents museum. The whole area is worth a visit and I’m told the shopping is quite good too. As I got a new ball and chew from the department store, I have to agree.

18th August 2020 – Dieverbrug to Assen

We left Dieverbrug as soon as the bridges opened as we needed to get to Blauwe Klap bridge on the outskirts of Assen by 4pm. We made with seconds to spare! This meant we could take the last convoy through 5 bridges and a lock into the city centre to reach our lovely mooring on Vaart. We need to mention just how efficient this convoy is. A team of harbour masters cycle from one bridge to another ensuring there are no delays along the way. Friendly and extremely competent, it was a pleasure to travel with them – especially as they petted me too.

When we arrived at Vaart, right in the centre of the old town, we found a perfect mooring on a lovely street lined with beautiful houses. A lot of effort has been made to encourage boating tourism, not only in this city, but all the way along the Drentsche – Hoofvaart, so if you’re looking for somewhere new to travel, consider it. Especially if you have a dog on board as the many national parks and woodlands in the region make it doggy heaven.

17th August 2020 – Dieverbrug

Another storm last night just to upset my sleep. Good news was though, I was allowed to sleep in the cabin as the thunder frightened me. Once in there and stretched out across the bed, I slept like a baby. Not sure about the others!

Originally we were going to leave Dieverbrug today, but continuing rain after last night’s storm, followed by a faulty bridge changed our decision, so we are staying another night. So, once it stopped raining we set off to Dwingeloo for coffee and a spot of shopping. In this county full of wonderful national parks, cycle paths and interesting walks the one to Dwingeloo is the most boring. In fact it was so boring we thought we might even catch the bus back, but as you can only board with pre-bought tickets this wasn’t an option.

Then Alison went off again on her bike… again.. This time to explore national park number 2, Drentsche-Friese Wold. It’s the biggest one of the three and in addition to acres of woodland it contains what are called drifting sands. A considerable amount of conservation work ensures the sands keep drifting so the right habitat is maintained for the fauna that live there. As this includes snakes and biting ones at that, I can’t understand why they go to so much trouble! This time I’m glad I didn’t go with her!

16th August 2020 – Meppel to Dieverbrug

We left Meppel when the bridge opened at 10am to start our journey along the Drentsche Hoofdvaart and our eventual destination of Groningen. It will take a few days to get there as its a slow waterway with lots of bridges and quite a few locks. To me it’s perfect. Narrow and slow, it’s rather like a French canal. Even the locks are manual. The locks close for lunch too so we have an enforced wee and explore stop, which is also good news. Today we stopped in Havelte and went off for a walk in the woods – off lead heaven. I even managed to find some water, which didn’t go down too well.

Our destination was Dieverbrug and a very pretty little pound between the lock and the bridge. There is a small passentenhaven just before the lock, but we liked the idea of the shade and there were trees all along one side of the pound.

Alison went off biking after we had settled as there are three national parks within cycling distance. This definitely seemed like an area for me, but as I’m still not a cyclist I missed out. We really need to get that DoggyRide on the boat. She came back saying she had cycled to Dwingelderveld national park via Dwingeloo (what a great name for a village). It seems that the centre of town in the Drentsche region is called a Brink and the one in Dwingeloo is one of the most beautiful. She took a picture but it doesn’t really do it justice. The park, of course, had an excellent cycle path through the trees.

15th August 2020 – Vollenhove to Meppel

After a walk around a lovely Vollenhove park we set off for Meppel via Blokzijl, another favourite place we visited last year. It was a Saturday around lunchtime but it seemed eerily quiet. Yes, there were people in the restaurants by the lock, but certainly not what you expect for a sunny August weekend. We are moving away from the family holiday destinations into different territory – and areas where coronavirus is virtually non existent. Sheila, you should be happy.

Our destination was supposed to be the gemeete passantanhaven in Meppel but somehow we got it wrong and ended up in the buitenhaven instead. Just as we were about to set off to explore the town and check out whether we should move to the inner harbour, the harbourmaster arrived and told us it was too late as the lock was shut and wouldn’t open again until Monday. That was lucky. The inner harbour was nicer and on a different day we would head there instead, but the buitenhaven was fine and best of all there was a slipway over the bridge for my daily swim.

14th August 2020 – Urk to Vollenhove

Another morning swim and play on the deserted beach was all I needed to recover after last night’s storm. I love this place and would happily stay for weeks, but when do I get a say in things? I do admit though that there are too many people around that don’t seem to have heard of social distancing, so perhaps it’s for the best. Especially as CV is rising in the Netherlands and the country has just been taken off the travel corridor list with England.

I was quite despondent on our journey today, even though we were heading inland along the Urkervaart and away from the open water of the IJsselmeer. I soon perked up when we arrived at Vollenhove, our destination for the night. We came here last year with Roger and Gill and I gave it 4/5 on the canine scoring system. A swim with lots of friendly boys in the Vollenhovekanal was just what I needed to help me forget Urk and move on..

We moored near to a tent owned by a couple who were on a canoeing holiday. Canoes are even smaller than Little Dick, in fact theirs are so small they have to have one each. Would I like canoeing? I’m not sure about being on my own in one but perhaps a two person one might be ok, then the other person can do all the paddling and I could act as cox.

13th August 2020 – Urk

We are here for two nights and I am so glad. Yesterday the beach was a bit busy so they had to keep me away from children and their toys, but this morning I had it all to myself. Heaven is a beach called Urk. Then later, after Alison had been out on a bike ride along the dyke then back along a brilliant network of paths through nearby woods, we went out in Little Dick. The idea was to go around to the beach then swim off the boat. This was a new experience for me and I’m not sure what I thought about it – so I headed straight back to the beach, which wasn’t exactly the plan. I did eventually swim back out to the boat though and got back on board ok, which is more than I can say for them. Pathetic actually. They just don’t have my athletic ability.

All I want to do is be on the beach, so under pressure, Alison took me back again a bit later. It was still too busy but I met an 8 month old rescue dog having its first swim. She was so calm, unlike me and because she didn’t exhaust herself with manic swimming, she could stay out in the water for ages. We did swim together for a bit and I did try to calm down … a bit….

We all went out for dinner at night but I so tired I just slept through it… Then later the storm hit. They were rushing around shutting windows and closing up canvas but I was too cosy and too tired to bother about it. Even though the constant lightening interrupted my sleep.

12th August 2020 – Lelystad to Urk

Lelystad is home to an outlet village, which for the uninitiated, like me, is a mall full of shops were they sell popular and often upmarket items at discount prices. So of course, we had to visit. In fact Alison went twice as she has been starved of retail therapy during lockdown. Luckily it was very quiet and the shops were lovely and cool, so it wasn’t too much of a chore.

After the shopping expedition we set off back into the IJsselmeer and headed north east to Urk. This was a new place to all of us and a popular holiday destination. It was busy, very busy, but in a way that was good because it meant we moored way out of town near the end of long jetty. We don’t need town, but we do need water – especially when the temperatures continue to be in the mid 30’s. And water I got, in the form of a perfect beach, which unusually, allowed dogs.

11th August 2020 – Haarlem to Lelystad

We left Haarlem as we entered it, in convoy, and headed north down the Spaarne into the Ij, past Amsterdam and out into the Markenmeer. Now you know, I don’t like open water, so I wasn’t a happy dog. It wasn’t actually rough, unlike last time we were here, but still, it’s just not my thing.

When we arrived at Lelystad I immediately forgot all my woes as I remembered this place…… and knew exactly where I could swim.

10th August 2020 – Heemstede to Haarlem

The bridges did open of course and we were ready to go through in convoy at 9.30am as instructed. The advantage of this early start was that we had the choice of moorings in the city and we picked a perfect spot. If you are heading for Haarlem and following CA advice, be careful, as it is confusing. The bridges are numbered going through the city and it’s easier to follow the numbers rather than the bridge names. There is good mooring on the city side between bridges 7 and 6 and a smaller pontoon on the opposite side between 5 and 4. However, we moored between bridges 6 and 5 next to the trip boat mooring where there is a space for a couple of boats before the 3 hour limited mooring by the bridge. This was near bridge 6 (to walk over into town) but on a quiet residential street. Perfect.

The last paragraph is all about passing on vital information as a blogger… but actually Haarlem is not very dog friendly as there were no parks nearby and nowhere to swim. As it continues to be very hot, this was no fun for me. To make it worse we were in sightseeing mode and Alison decided we had to do a walking tour of the city. Was I glad to get back to the boat….. I didn’t even bother when they went out again to shop and try out the local beers in a brewery in a church – called appropriately Jopenkerk.

Haarlem is a beautiful city though, even I can see that. There are many historic buildings, lovely little side streets, good museums, restaurants everywhere and, they tell me, some very smart shops. Oh and Mags, there are so many coffee shops (selling coffee!) near the boat you would have been in heaven.

9th August 2020 – Aalsmeer to Heemstede

We left Aalsmeer with a planned destination of Haarlem. But our plans changed after being told by a bridge keeper that the bridges in Haarlem were shut. It turned out they had expanded so much in the heat they wouldn’t open. I told you it was hot! As they were planning to open them the next morning we decided to moor just off the river near bridge 8 at a lovely little private harbour called WSV van Merlenhaven in Heemstede. Although we were far too big to go into the harbour, there was mooring just outside along the canal. The people were so friendly and get top marks from me as one of the first things they told us was where I could go for a swim. So instead of a city we spent the night at a quiet mooring overlooking fields and in prime dog walking territory. I made friends with a Great Dane and we played for ages… Personally, I hope the bridges don’t open in the morning…

8th August 2020 – Aalsmeer

The plan for today was to take out Little Dick and go off to find a nice place to sit in the shade and swim from the shore. Previously, this would not have been something I would have enjoyed – even with a promise of a swim at the end – but suddenly I find I quite like being in Little Dick. So although we didn’t really find our perfect place, there was so much going on on the water we had a great time trying to find it. I love the inflatables toys they all seem to have and can just picture myself sunbathing on the water on a blow up giraffe, or being towed behind Little Dick on one of those giant rings.

7th August 2020 – Aalsmeer

Today Mags and Sheila left us. They took the short taxi ride to Schiphol airport in the morning then flew home to Manchester and back to Mattie. I’m going to miss them and it’s just possible that they will miss me too.

We are staying here for another couple of days and that is fine by me. Walking isn’t great round here but there is water everywhere and I have found a great little swimming place. As it is very hot, 34 degrees, aqua aerobics is my current preferred exercise choice.

Out for dinner at the harbour restaurant at night. Yes, me too. I’m getting used to this.

6th August 2020 – Leiden to Aalsmeer

We nearly didn’t get there. Alison’s tooth problem has not been solved so after another sleepless night she went back to the dentist… This time she got the boss who was determined to sort her out. Two hours later she appeared back even more numb than last time, but hopefully now OK.

So, rather later than planned we set off to Aalsmeer. Originally we were going to take Sheila to it’s famous flower market, but CV has put paid to that as it has been closed to visitors since March. One for another time Sheila?

We had booked a place at Jachthaven WV Nieuwe Meer and found our lovely mooring overlooking the Kleine Poel in Westeinderplassen. Perfect for everyone except Sheila as it was a long walk down a wobbly jetty to the clubhouse and restaurant.

5th August 2020 – Leiden

A day in a water city means a day in Little Dick. I’m not all that keen on Little Dick, but the alternative was staying on board, and that wasn’t happening. So off we set, all five of us in the tiny boat, around the canals of the city. We stopped for lunch, where getting out will be something Sheila will want to forget, then continued the tour before heading back to base and a much needed ice cream.

In the evening we headed out to a nearby restaurant (note the we). The food was small plates, tapas style, and very tasty, or so they tell me. I’m not sure it was totally Sheila’s thing, but she’s very game and happy to try anything. Try it if you go, it’s called Brasserie de Poort.

4th August 2020 – Gouda to Leiden

As usual I went for my morning walk before we left Gouda heading for Leiden. Alison and I went wandering off around the streets behind the mooring and came across the perfect bag for Mags! Readers of my blog will remember that Mags does not travel light. I have no idea what she actually has in her enormous suitcase, but it weighs a ton and is never big enough for all the stuff she wants to bring. So outside this shop was the solution to all her problems. We got so excited about it we went back to the boat to get Mags and Brian to show them. The picture tells you all you need to know.

After this exciting find we set off for Leiden where we were planning to spend a couple of nights. Leiden is a university city and is second only to Amsterdam in it’s number of canals and waterways. We had a very slow journey there was got a bit stressful as Alison had booked an emergency dental appointment. She missed that one but managed to re-arrange, so once we had moored up in the lovely town harbour she cycled off to meet up with the tooth doctor, coming back an hour or so later with a numb mouth and an empty purse!

3rd August 2020 – Marnemoende to Gouda

We moved onto Gouda today. You’ll have heard of it as it’s famous for its cheese. I’m very keen on cheese, especially in cheese and onion crisps, so I had high expectations for this place. I don’t know what I was expecting, cheese trees lining the street, free samples on every street corner, or even a cheese lake, but sadly none of these dreams were realised. In the end its just a town full of shops. There is a cheese market once a week, but unfortunately it’s on Thursday, so I we missed it.

Having voiced my disappointment about the cheese I will admit that for a town (I’m a country dog at heart), it’s not a bad place. Our mooring was on a pretty street with plenty of trees for shelter and lots of grass around for my walks. Of course we had to shop and do some sight seeing, but luckily for me Sheila limits our sightseeing. Sheila, I’m happy for you to be with us all the time! For the record though, there is a very impressive town hall and large main square surrounded by some very pretty streets.

2nd August 2020 – Woudrichem to Marnemoende

A quick hop across the Waal (horrible, big, busy waterway) and onto the Merewedekanaal for a very slow trip north. We had long waits at the locks and at most bridges which meant a latish arrival at a favourite place, the marina at Marnemoende. Not too late for a walk and swim though – and this year the access to the water was much easier. I think they must have been doing a bit of pruning in the spring.

I went out for dinner again…. I did say I was good last time…. We didn’t have to walk far, which was good for Sheila, as the restaurant was in the marina.

1st August 2020 – Heusden to Woudrichem

Technically the storm started at the beginning of the new month, but for me it was a fitting end to a horrible day. At 2am, exactly as forecast, the thunder and lightening started followed very quickly by the rain. As it had been so hot we had windows and hatches open, so it was a mad rush to close them. Mags didn’t quite make it, so for the second time that day she got wet (first time was curtesy of a jetskier)! Then suddenly, there was a loud bang and everything turned orange. Then the power went down. Had we been hit? There was nothing obvious and then as quickly as it came, the storm left, leaving me a nervous wreck! You know I don’t like anything loud and this was mega loud.

The next morning we found out that the flag pole on the harbour master’s office boat had taken the hit. The man on the boat next to us, which was right next to the flagpole, saw it all. Amazingly, it didn’t catch fire. We were very lucky, although it didn’t seem like it at the time.

We left Heusden after a walk around the ramparts and a quick coffee in our favourite cafe. Although we were heading for Merwede canal there was a change of plan along the way and so we stopped in Woudrichem instead. I’m very glad we did. Mooring in the old harbour it was just a short(ish) walk into town and an even shorter one to the beach… and a swim. There are lots of walks around Woudrichem and the harbour buzzes with people. I like this place…

31st July 2020 – Mook to Heusden

Today was not a good day. Firstly, it was hot, very hot. 34 degrees hot. Now I’m a sun worshipper but this was a bit too much for me. Secondly, the sun and the heat combined with prime holiday time in the Netherlands meant that the entire population of the country were out on the water – most of them in fast speed boats or jet skis. Fast boats mean lots of wash and lots of wash means a rocking boat. I was one very unhappy dog. Never have I been more glad to see a harbour in my life.

The harbour was a favourite place, Heusden. A place I know well as we came here twice last year. First time we moored in the old town harbour, which would have been ideal for Sheila, but it was too hot to manage without fans, so we needed the electricity of the outer harbour. We did get a place right by the harbour master’s office though.

We all went into town for dinner – including me, which is something that hasn’t happened for a while. I think they all felt sorry for me after my traumatic day. It was a long walk in for Sheila, but she managed it well. Even the cobblestones. I behaved very well in the restaurant, mainly because it was still too hot to do much, so hopefully I’ll be invited out again!

30th July 2020 – Venlo to Mook (Plasmolen)

Another couple of walks and then we were off to Eldorado in Mookerplas. This is another lovely lake just off the Maas and an old favourite of theirs. I’ve never been before so I couldn’t comment. I can now though and all I can say is that the lake is algae free, there are swimming places along the walk around the lake and a very nice ice cream cafe nearby. What’s not to like. The mooring was good too – after a little hiccup. Plenty of action on the pontoon, although social distancing means that everyone is giving me a wide berth. Strokes and pets are limited to the Annapanna crew only.

29th July 2020 – Maasbracht to Venlo

Time to move on… we left Maasbracht after a couple of walks and headed north to Venlo. We planned to stay at the yacht haven (WSV De Maas) outside the town and catch the harbour’s water taxi into town for a spot of – you’ve guessed it – shopping. But CV continues to thwart plans, as they are not allowed to run it at the moment. No problem for me though as it meant I could go for a walk near the haven and even managed a dip in the Maas. Much better than shopping or an even worse possibility – sightseeing.

28th July 2020 – Maasbracht

Another day in Maasbracht so they can do “jobs”. My jobs included going out for coffee with Sheila, Mags and Alison and then a nice long walk off the lead. I did my bit for the environment by picking up plastic bottles lying by the footpath. I did intend to put then in the rubbish bins back at Van der Laan, but it gets very boring carrying bottles for so long so I’m afraid I became a litter lout too…

In the evening I was left home alone for only the second time since March (if you don’t count the ferry). I wasn’t happy and tried to go with them, but in the end I managed to control my anxieties and went to sleep instead. They went to their favorite place, Hotel de Roosterhoeve for dinner and I didn’t miss out too much as Sheila sneaked me back a lovely piece of steak.

27th July 2020 – Rotterdam – Maasbracht

Off the ferry, quick walk and play at the beach (even though the algae signs are still around) and then south to Maasbracht. The rest of the day was spent unpacking the kitchen sink and loading up Annapanna. I’m amazed she can still float after all their stuff is stowed! We then went shopping to get even more stuff……. We did manage to stop for lunch in the sunshine and a walk along the front, so it wasn’t all bad.

26th July 2020 – Whalley – Hull

So we are off. With four of us on board, the kitchen sink and Mag’s suitcase, which was stuffed to the rafters as usual, we were a full carload on the M62 to Hull. After a walk in my favorite park below the Humber Bridge it was onto the Pride of Hull and straight into the horrible kennel! I did have some company though so it wasn’t all bad. They keep telling me P&O are considering having some dog friendly cabins like they have on the Harwich Hook ferry, but not yet, sadly.

They told me the ferry was very different. Everyone had to wear masks, there was no cabaret (that could be a positive), no one was gathering at the bars and even though the ferry was about 25% full it still felt as if there was hardly anyone else on board. All very good for social distancing and making sure Sheila keeps safe though.